You Don’t Need a Resolution

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By Paul Reilly

“If you don’t set goals, you can’t regret not reaching them.” —Yogi Berra

The tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions dates back to the ancient Babylonians. We are all driven to make next year better than the previous year. Although we have this drive, few people actually keep their New Year’s resolutions. According to a Forbes article, only 8 percent of people successfully follow through on their New Year’s resolutions. At the beginning of the year, we are excited to make big changes. We are motivated and nothing will stop us. But that motivation and excitement soon fade and 92 percent of us fail to achieve our goals.

What if there was a better way?

A resolution is choosing to do something or choosing not to do something. That’s bland and generic. Resolutions are uninspiring because they are often built on necessity. They are something you have to do versus something you want to do. Does “saving more money” light your soul on fire? Probably not.

Big achievements require more than simply doing or not doing something. If you are looking for a dramatic change that is positive and meaningful, you need more than a resolution. You need a revolution. Revolutions begin with an unwavering commitment to an ideal, belief, or philosophy.

To begin a value-added revolution, commit to the value-added philosophy: Do more of that which adds value and less of that which adds little or no value.

Reading the book and attending the seminar go a long way toward your understanding the message. But committing to the value-added philosophy means living this message every day in every way.

What if this philosophy was rooted into every aspect of your business? Consider the impact on your company’s performance and culture. What if you applied this philosophy to all aspects of your life? Consider the impact on your career, health, relationships, and spiritual well-being.

Imagine waking every morning and telling yourself, “Today I am going to do more of that which adds value and less of that which adds little or no value.” This deeply rooted philosophy will have a greater impact on your career than any tactic you learn in a seminar. When you embrace this philosophy, you create value in ways that can’t be taught. Your worth is not in the deals you make, but in the value you create.

Resolutions come and go, but a revolution can last forever. Rather than making a generic New Year’s resolution, embrace a revolutionary philosophy. For the next thirty days tell yourself, “Today I am going to do more of that which adds value and less of that which adds little or no value.”